Ever have days when you try to do something simple only to discover you need to study to figure it out?  New computers tend to throw this into hyper drive!  Well, I went a step farther... I got a new camera, too.  New computer + new camera = the need for a master's degree O_o

BUT after downloading an English user's manual for the camera & scrolling down to the correct page.  Much head scratching & watching a computer how to video on youtube just to find the correct place to click - WHY didn't they just say click on the file icon in the 1st place????  Several plug & unplugs / turn on & turn off camera moments.  I actually managed to get pictures from the camera onto the computer

I ended up getting a slightly more advanced point & shoot.  Someday I want a "real" camera, but for now I just need something other than my phone for taking pictures.  Don't get me wrong, my phone camera is nice, however, if I am using more than one app at a time things tend to get messed up. a,k,a, my fitness app turns itself off  Also my phone is getting older so the battery tends to go fast.  SO, to keep with my walking and still get some pictures taken, an inexpensive camera seemed to be the answer.

Camera on sale + 1/2 the cost in store points (thanks to getting a new computer) + some gift cards = a $15 camera!!

I think I am going to enjoy getting acquainted with my new camera.  It has several fun features, which I hope to practice with soon!  For now here are a couple of the shots I got last night as I played around.  The 1st is using the "art" setting & the 2nd is regular setting.

Oh, one more reason for the new camera.  We have a few big events coming up in the next couple of weeks and I really wanted to be able to capture them on film.  Stay tuned!

Every October the local church has a bazaar.  Today was the day!

Last Sunday after church was transformed into a big flea market venue.   The baby cry room because a place to try on clothes.  The Sunday school room because the kitchenware / pottery area.  The sanctuary became the clothing and toy shop.  The entry was transformed into an area for homemade items and fresh veggies.  Throughout the week these areas were filled and the kitchen was filled with home made food items.

Yesterday I had a some help making pumpkin bread, cookies, and cheese cake.

Here are some sights from the church today...

After the bazaar, everyone pitched in the transformed the church back into a house of worship ready for tomorrow morning.  It was quite the day!

Mort Report October 2014

The past year had had more than its share of twists and turns, but life goes on.  Laura is still blog some, so please check her blog for current happenings @ http://mom2-4.xanga.com/  We have also started a facebook page for ECS, “Kashiwazaki ECS – English Communication Service”.  Event information and photos can be found on this page.

Outreach Events:

Late last November, we discovered that the ECS roof was leaking, badly.  The landlord did not wish to make repairs so we moved during our winter break.   Our new location is a little smaller, but very nice and the students seem to like it, as well as, or better than the old location   The new location is not conducive for big events so outreach events are now being held at our house or at other locations, which is actually easier anyway..

The annual English Camp, July 18~21, was the biggest camp yet.  We had a total of 88 campers.  Some were just there for 1 day while others stayed the entire 3 nights/4 days.  Laura, who is the head cook, counted by meal numbers.  The biggest meal was for 75, campers & staff.  Once again we had a group from California come help with the program.  It was an amazing time.

As this newsletter is being written, we are getting ready to go into the busiest event time of the year.  Our Halloween Party will be on 10/25, a traditional Thanksgiving Dinner will be on 11/24 (a national holiday), and the Christmas Candle Light will be on 12/20.

Jerry continues to work with the AWANA Club, while Laura works with the Sunday School program at the church we attend here in Kashiwazaki.  We also participate in other events at the church.

Bible Study:  We are at a point of transition.   Sadly the Friday evening Bible Study has drifted down to nothing.  One of the members got married and moved away, and the other members became busy as schedules changed.  However, we are in the process of starting an International English Bible Study on Sunday evenings.

Family:

Joshua spent much time in the hospital this past winter & spring.  The heavy medications he is on for his Aplastic Anemia started causing kidney problems.  We are still fighting to get a balance.  He has been started on 3 new medications to help manage the kidney issues while we are attempting to lower the dose of the immune suppression medication all the while keeping his blood levels from bottoming out.  Through it all he is, growing, developing, & getting stronger.  Joshua is still in the “C” course at his school, meaning the teacher comes to our home 3 mornings a week to teach him with occasional days at school with the other students.  As a 6^th grader he will be going on a school trip with 2 other students next week.  Being special needs the moms will also be going.  It should be exciting.

Kei has been having mental health issues.  She was diagnosed with PMDD, an extreme form of PMS.  She is seeing a doctor and has been prescribed mild antidepressant which we have coupled with herbs to help with hormone balance.  After months of crazy mood swings she is finally settling into a more stable condition.  Kei, under doctor’s advice, started attending the special needs junior high school near our home, not the same school Joshua goes to.  At this point she just goes 2 mornings a week, but will likely transition to going every morning in the near future.

Bekah is growing into a fine young woman.  She is finishing up high school and will be starting some dual enrolment classes through Taylor University.  She could graduate this coming spring, but we have decided to keep her on the Japanese school calendar so she will not graduate until March ’16.  This gives her a little more time to take university classes under the dual enrolment system.

Jerry just learned that his main school will be cutting his classes in half next school year.  The school has been slowly taking classes away.  This school has the largest classes, is the furthest away, and yet requires the most work.  We have prayerfully decided that it is time to change.  Jerry will not be teaching at that school next year.  This does leave a hole in our income, but we are trusting that the LORD has something new in mind.

Maybe the most exciting new is, Joshua’s doctor has given us tentative permission for us to make a trip back to the U.S.  If all goes well, we are looking at being in Indiana for 3 weeks next August.

A HUGE THANK YOU goes out to 1^st Baptist for a special gift.  We have been having computer trouble, but thanks to them we now have a new computer and Jerry will be getting a new iPad, with keyboard, which is his preferred way of computing.

Prayer Requests:

• ECS to continue to gain new students to help meet financial needs, as well as, to meet & reach more people for the LORD.
• Jerry to find classes to make up for the classes he will be losing
• Out Reach Events & Church activities
• Health issues.
• Joshua’s blood levels to return to normal.
• Possible trip to the states next summer.

Feels so good to get some things done  The morning was hectic: walk, meds given, code brown, showered & out the door by 8:40, but it has been a great day so far!

• Meeting with Kei's school to talk about the next step.  She is start going all morning 2 days a week from mid October.
• October menu DONE!

• Bills figured out
• Bread in the bread machine
• 2 loads of clothes washed & hung
• Main supper prep done.  Just need to mix the wet ingredients to finish the dumplings & spoon them into the stew.

Now it is time to give afternoon meds & head to work.  Tuesday is the calm before the storm, my easy day, I only have 1 preschool class.  This evening, I think I will get cookie dough made & pumpkin boiled to make paste so that it will be ready for Friday evenings bake off.   The church bazaar is Saturday and I am making cookies, pumpkin bread, & mini cheese cakes.

YAY for productivity

Today was the 24th Annual Kashiwazaki Try Walk.   This years walk was a 12k in the Kitajo area, a country side area east of us.  I walked with 3 of my students & a friend.  I also saw 1 of the teachers from Joshy's school and a few other acquaintances.

It was a lovely day...

Even though the day was lovely, we were all ready to see the goal line.

I also noticed something...

This was my picture from the goal line of the 12k walk I did in May.

This is from today.

I am down 9kg/19.8# from May.  From Spring of 2011, I am down a total of 28kg/61.6#.  I still have another 17kg/37# to go, but I finally can see a difference

Yesterday was a blur which extended into this morning.  I knew things would be a little hectic be it went beyond my expectations!

Yesterday, between 8:30am & 8:45pm I was home all of 15 minutes.  Jerry & I headed to the hospital to pick up Joshy from short stay about 8:30.  When we arrived he was sleeping and had the tell tale signs of a cold...  The nurse said his nose had started running just that morning.  He woke up when we got him ready to go and added coughing to the runny nose.  By the time we got to the car, where we had an appointment to have his car seat looked at, he had added wheezing.

Car seat adjustment went well.  His seat has now been adjusted as much as it possibly can be.  There might just be enough room to still strap him in when he has a coat on.  He he grows much more he simply will not fit.  I talked to the rep about other options and we have an idea.  Now I just need to convince the therapist to start the paperwork process.  Unless she will start the process we cannot apply to get a new seat under insurance.  Let the pestering begin  If pestering doesn't work, then I will talk to the doctor directly, and ask him to pester the therapist.   I will attempt to go through the proper channels 1st

By the time we were through with the car seat acrobatics, Jerry & I decided that since we were already at the hospital we should see if the doctor could take a look at Joshy.  Jerry walked home while I walked Joshy up to out patients.  Out patients was PACKED!  Thankfully, the nurses put us in a fairly private area, due to Joshy's immune suppression, to wait.  We finally saw the doctor, added cough meds & an bronchial patch, plus increased his asthma meds.  We try to avoid the patch because it tends to make Joshy hyper.  He should have a 2mg patch for his age/weight but doc gave him the 0.5mg patch... The girls mentioned this morning how active he is.  As I sit here typing, I am seeing that the 0.5 is still plenty to make him hyper.  I must remember to remove the patch at supper time!!

Finally left the hospital at 11:10, dropped the prescription off, and headed home where Jerry & Kei were waiting.  Jerry grabbed Joshy while Kei jumped into the car so that we could make it to her hospital before out patients closed at 11:30.  We squeaked in just under the wire.  We didn't make it out until almost 1pm.  (As we sat waiting for Kei's meds, I tried to verify the text conversation I had with her while waiting with Joshy... "You don't have any meds left at home."  "NO"  "Not even in your weekly med box?"  OH, in my weekly box I have meds until Thursday."  "KEI!  That was what I was asking about.  We could have come Friday morning instead of this crazy mad rush."  ARGGGGGG!!!!

Nearing 1pm... we hadn't had lunch, nor had I picked up Joshy's prescription.  Zipped by the pharmacy, grabbed the meds and made it home by 1:15... which is the time I usually leave for work.

Did I mention that Kei noticed that the car was on empty?

Sorted the meds into the afternoon & evening pockets so that Joshy would get his new meds on time, scarfed down some lunch, grabbed my dinner & the computer, stopped at ECS to drop things off and pick up my bag of goodies for class, made a stop at the gas station, and managed to make it to work with just enough time to set the classroom up and almost catch my breath before my 1st class of 4yos got there... WHEW!

Five classes later, I finally made it home about 8:45, only a little late for bedtime meds.

Thankfully, other than being congested, snotty nosed, & coughing, Josh seems to be quite a happy camper.  So far he is keeping everything down.  He slept through the night, as well.  Praying this cold is short lived and will pass without a hospitalization.

Joshy has been in short stay (respite care) the past couple of days...

I need to give meds... no wait, Joshy isn't here.

Has anyone checked J's dia... snap, Joshy is in short stay.

It is awfully quiet, what is Joshy up to now... That is for the nurses to worry about.

I'd like to go read in bed, but... no buts... I can if I want to.

All this will come to a screeching halt in about 13 hours.  Time to make the best of these last few hours... I do believe I hear my book calling

Prayers for tomorrow would be appreciated.  I pick Joshy up at 8:45, then have a 9am appointment to have his car seat checked.  Then get him home for school by 9:45.  Add a check up for Kei and classes from 2~8:30.  It is going to be a wild day!  Also pray that we can come up with a car seat solution for our growing boy.  The therapist assures me that we cannot get anything new on insurance, but I am not sure I believe her.

I went out for a short walk this afternoon to check out the Tea Ceremony Museum garden.  In a few weeks the trees will be illuminated so that the colors can be enjoyed into the evening.  For now the color is just beginning to peek out.  I think I almost enjoy this stage as much as the full color stage, because of the promise they represent.  The promise that fall is coming

The past week was a struggle.

I have not been feeling well & ended up going to the hospital to have things checked out... several trips & tests later, we are still not 100% sure what was going on, but I am feeling somewhat better.  The cardiac CT showed that my heart is OK.  Labs say that my heart does have issues, but my cholesterol is better.  The ECG had its normal irregularities.  The upper GI shows that I have chronic gastritis.  Feeling puny could be related to these or it could just be the change of season has my allergies in an uproar, but not in such a way that I know it is allergy related.  Likely it is some weird combination of all of the above.  All I know is I am more than ready to be feeling good.

Joshy had a cancer center check up on Tuesday.  Labs were fair, but his platelet count had dropped some.  I was hoping we would be able to lower the dose of immune suppression med, but with the drop in platelet numbers the doctor felt it wise to keep the current dose.   On Wednesday, we spent the morning spent at Joshy's school for a special program.  It was nice seeing the other moms.   I am really glad we could go, but it was another whole morning away from home.

At the beginning of September, Kei started attending school for 1 class, a couple days/week and she has to be shuttled back & forth.  Her doctor felt it would be good for her emotional stability.  She has been seeing a doctor regularly for her PMDD (possible bipolar or something else thrown in to make it interesting) and is on regular medication.  Thankfully, this month we have noticed that her lows are not as low and her highs are not as high.  I think we might actually be making some progress   Thursday morning, Kei woke up with a fever, so she had to miss school.  In a way this was nice because it actually gave me a little break and time to go computer shopping with Jerry.  Kei still has a low grade fever & a cough, but so far everyone else is fine.

Added to this, our secretary has been off, so Bekah has been filling in at ECS.  That worked out well, but it just throws life off balance.

Yesterday, I realized that my calendar showed NOTHING...zip...nada... for today.  This is such a rare occurrence  I am trying to take it easy, but it has still been a productive day...

• Jerry & I went grocery shopping.  It was a nice change of pace having Jerry along!  I just realized... when I went through checkouts there were as many "extras" in the cart.  I should take him & leave the girls home more often
• After lunch, we did a group clean.  Everyone worked on cleaning something for about 30 minutes.  It still amazes me how much can be accomplished in a short time when everyone works together at it!
• My "cleaning" time was spent in the kitchen prepping some of the meat we got.  We have one store in town that actually has a discount if you buy bigger packages of meat.  I picked up 2kg/4.5# of thinly sliced pork which has now been separated & frozen, ready to make 5 meals for our family... 3 packages have the seasoning for Pork Ginger and the other 2 packages are ready for stew or curry or whatever.  I also prepared a big package of chicken breast, turning it into Lemon & Garlic Dump, a yummy freezer to crockpot meal.   I also have yogurt being made in the yogurt maker & granola being made in the crockpot.

I still need to get to the drug store & the 100 yen shop to pick up some miscellaneous items.

I would like to get out for a walk.  I have not walked in over a week - which is NOT the norm.

You know, even thought several things have been accomplished, which feels wonderful, it has not felt rushed.  It has been a relaxing day.  I think a few more of these thrown in now and again might be a good idea

If life is a roller coaster, which it is in our house.  Then computing life has been a merry-go-round!  I think it was June that the laptop died.  We attempted to resurrect the old desktop.  Then we found a used laptop at a recycle shop.  The used laptop was slow, but light years faster than the desktop.  Then a dragging cord going one direction and a mom in a hurry going the opposite direction met in the hall...laptop screens do not take kindly to being dropped!!  We had an old monitor we were able to set it up, but it couldn't be set up in the most convenient location because of bulk.  Back to the desktop, which believe it or not, took up less space than the monitor & laptop combo.  We tried deleting any and all nonessential items, but the desktop still runs at the speed of molasses in January.  The desktop also tends to have a hissy fit it more than 1 window is opened at  time.  It randomly freezes and/or locks up.  It is not a joke, but I would "open" a window and then go start the washer or hang laundry and it might be open by the time I was finished.   This, in a nut shell, is the main reason I have not been blogging.  I simply was trying to avoid frustration and lost posts.

This week we received a letter from Jerry's family church.  A dear sister in Christ passed away a few months ago and left money to the church mission board.  The church is giving her missionaries a special love gift and they mentioned that a computer might be a nice use for some of the money they are sending us.  Yesterday, Jerry & I actually had some time to go shopping.  God's timing is always perfect... low & behold, this is "change the model" season.  We were able to get a "summer" model for a great price... much faster & with more bells & whistles, but still much cheaper, than the lower end "winter" models.  PLUS it has a 5 year warranty.   They also threw in 2 packs of DVD-R and with points I was able to get a nice, actual, honest-to-goodness computer case.

Let me introduce, Lovey

Still much to figure out & transfer over, but it is wonderful to have a computer that actually responds!!  OH...AND... I can even print now!  The old computer would not interface with the printer.

LORD willing the computing merry-go-round has stopped.  Which means that... I am BACK